Runner Bean Chutney Recipe

runner bean chutney

Runner Bean Chutney submitted by Gina

An old favourite recipe of my mother-in-law.

A good way to help to keep up with the runner bean glut!

Ingredients for Runner Bean Chutney:

  • 2 lbs runner beans
  • 4 or 5 onions
  • 1 ½ lbs demerara sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ tablespoons english mustard powder
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornflour
  • 1 ½ pints malt vinegar

Method for Runner Bean Chutney:

  1. Peal onions and cut  small.
  2. Slice beans and boil together with onions in salted water until both are tender.
  3. Strain and drain well then cut up small or put through mincer.
  4. Add sugar and 1 ¼ pints vinegar and boil for 15 minutes.
  5. Mix turmeric, mustard and cornflour with the remaining vinegar add to the bean & onions
  6. Boil for another 15 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool and put into sterilised jars.

Serve with cold meats or cheese.  For the best flavour, allow to mature for at least 6 to 8 weeks before use.

Like most chutneys, kept in properly sterilized and sealed jars this will keep for at least a year in a cool dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge and try to use within 4 weeks.

General Chutney Making Information

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Posted in Val's Preserves, Vegetable Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Chutneys, Green Beans, All Recipes, Onions
68 comments on “Runner Bean Chutney Recipe
  1. A.Griffiths says:

    I made some runner bean chutney from your recipe over three weeks ago, and wanted to make some more, but, had lost the recipe. Thank goodness I have found it again, we ate almost half a jar with some cheese at lunchtime. Mmmm..Delish

  2. elizabeth says:

    Is this best if left for a time before eating

  3. Val says:

    Best if left for 6 to 8 weeks.

  4. Debbie says:

    Will this be OK with beans that are a bit ‘stringy’?

  5. Val says:

    I’d try to get as much of the stringy bits off by running a knife down both sides.

  6. tom dav says:

    I made 14 jars a year ago and it’s still delicious. I kept it in a cupboard in the dark and cool and it has retained its colour flavour and texture. Also the spicy rhubarb chutney is yummy.

  7. michele says:

    It’s the best thing to do with runner beans, I love it.

  8. GLYN says:

    Have made this chutny twice in a row , best one ever so quick to make yummy

  9. pauline says:

    can you make this chutney fron beans you have frozen

  10. Val says:

    Not tried using previously frozen beans it but can’t see why it would not work.

  11. Margaret says:

    I made this chutney for the first time had never heard of it before till a neighbour told me his mother made it.
    I gave him a jar to try and he said it was as good and would take as much off me as possible, so am making him a batch to enjoy the winter months.
    He offered to pay but will give him for free as he does us good turns, roll on next year will be planting runner beans again.

  12. Dave Bradley says:

    Just wondered if this would work if you used runner beans & green tomatoes half and half

  13. Michelle says:

    This is my first year making jams and chutney but thought i’d give this a try, it sounded really weird and yet somehow it works…yummy

  14. ELWYN DAVIES says:

    I MADE TEN JARS OF RUNNER BEAN CHUTNEY AND FOLLOWED YOUR RECIPE BUT WITH BEANS THAT WERE FROZEN LAST SEPTEMBER.I ALSO ADDED A HANDFUL OF RAISENS AND A HANDFUL OF SULTANAS, YUM,YUM. YOU SUGGEST WAITING SIX WEEKS TO MATURE IF THERE’S ANY LEFT ?

  15. lou says:

    This is my first year using this site and am going to make this tomorrow sounds delicious can’t wait

  16. lee says:

    I’m making it now…. have cut all ingredients down by half to try it out…. hope I do it justice – never made one before!!

  17. Lorraine says:

    This sounds like a really good recipe. I have made runner bean chutney once before but I didn’t like it so I’ll give this one a try and let you know how I get on.

  18. Anna says:

    This is a great recipe, my grandmother used to make it and in those days it was known as Cumberland Bean Salad. It was in the days before refrigeration and so a preserved/canned salad was quite normal. I have great childhood memories of us kids picking the runner beans and helping my mother make this salad, it took over the whole kitchen for a day! We were raised on a farm like environment and we had bread, soup and cheese every day; the chutney was stored in those great big stoneware jars that are now considered vintage and cost £30-40 and we made about 6 quarts – it was a major summer event! Then we had to wait several months before it matured before we could eat it, also a major family event. Thanks for bring it all back to me 🙂 I’m off to order some runner beans right away!

  19. tiesha lippiatt says:

    Hi, I have a couple of recipes for runnerbean chutney* one of mine says only 1 teaspoon of “dry mustard” & my other recipei to 51b of runnerbeans is 4oz of “dry mustard”. *What kind of flavour am I to expect using the amount of “DRY MUSTARD” you require?

  20. wendy fletcher-denton says:

    Tried this yesterday after my neighbour kindly gave me more beans than you could stick at!!!!! IT IS GORGEOUS and I may gather together some other veg in season and make some more at the weekend! THANK YOU SO MUCH.

  21. linda says:

    @tiesha lippiatt: Did you make your chutney because I’m just thinking the same. I have another recipe saying 2lb beans and 1 TEASPOON of mustard and termeric ???????

  22. jan hargreaves says:

    Made this runner bean chutney yesterday – .August 29 2011 . Wonderful – shall be making more at the weekend. It’s a must try recipe which I shall be passing on to all my friends. yum yum. thanksx

  23. Sue says:

    I have a glut on runner beans which are getting a bit old still on the plants – can I use these with this recipe or will they be too stringy?

  24. Can you use beans that are older (tending to be stringy)?

  25. Tony F says:

    I just made my first ever batch from my glut of runners!!! It tastes sooooo good! (just hope I can keep it long enough to get even better!)
    Also, I used mustard seeds instead of powder, I think the seeds look good in the jar. Think I’m going to try adding chillie flakes to the next batch!

  26. Kev B says:

    This is my favourite I also add chilli flakes to a batch, some with cayenne pepper and the other with my mothers trusted mild recipe we use soft brown sugar, and also cook the beans in water with a pinch of bicarb (keeps the colour) and cook the onions in half the vinegar, then add all together and cook for 15-20 mins !!! My local landlord loves it and even though told to keep it about a month is normally all gone in 4 days as he has it with breaKfast, dinner tea and supper !! I have sliced the beans in a processor previously but doesn’t quite taste the same as nicely handcut chunky beans !!!

  27. @Peter Barnett: Having just boiled some runner beans that were left too long, I think the simple answer is to use only beans where the pods are not developed. It isn’t just the edges that become stringy, the skin developes tough strings. The recipe looks too good to ‘waste on old beans’.

  28. Jane Trippett-Jones says:

    Please can someone tell me if I should cover the pan when cooking the beans and onions? Thanks!

  29. Tara moore says:

    I made this this morning – it is now cooling, but I sampled a bit and it was really lovely. I can’t wait until it’s fully matured. My neighbour always has a surfeit of runner beans so, from now on, I will be using them in this way. The only alteration I made to the recipe was to add a couple of medium-hot chilli peppers to add a bit of kick. I boiled them at the same time as the onions and green beans. What I really like is that the recipe is not too mustardy. Definitely worth a try as there really is not too much else you can do with runner beans, although I do have a spicy tomato/runner bean recipe which I will add.

  30. Tara moore says:

    @Jane Trippett-Jones:

    Jane, I don’t think it makes much difference, although it may cook them slightly quicker. I left my pan uncovered and the results were still great. Good luck!

  31. Tara moore says:

    A word of caution. Make sure you give your runnerbeans the occasional stir, especially during the penultimate and last boiling as the sugar can make some beans stick to the base of the pan and burn.

  32. Tara moore says:

    Final word. Neighbour has just been in and sampled a spoonful on some cheddar cheese. His verdict? Wow! Imagine how good it will be in six weeks time. I am expecting him round tomorrow with a bushel of runnerbeans! Bring it on.

  33. Jan Macdonald says:

    I make various chutneys every year and find that leaving the lid off gets rid of all the excess liquid @Jane Trippett-Jones:

  34. Julian says:

    Just made my first batch (15 jars)
    I also added:
    Sultanas, Mustard Seeds, Cumin, Cumin Seeds and some more finely chopped onion and beans while cooking with the vinegar.
    Tasting before putting into jars tasted really, really good so I can’t wait for 6 weeks.
    Think I may have found a new hobby!!!

  35. Margaret says:

    I used to make Green Bean Chutney over thirty years ago when I was involved with the WI Markets. It was always a good seller and I love it with cheese. Unfortunately this year the birds pinched the flowers off the bean plants and so we had very few beans. Hope I have more success next year and the birds leave the flowers alone.

  36. Mark G says:

    I have made this twice now, second time I added some leeks as well as onions, fantastic recipe hmmm

  37. tina says:

    This is my first year off making chutney. I’ve got to say I love it – the recipes are fab. If I can do it, so can you .

  38. Sharone says:

    Thank you so much for having this recipe. I have searched all my books and have found none for runner bean chutney. I remember making this years ago and found I could not keep it in my cuboards for long as it was eaten very fast. I will remember this web site for other recipes. Thank you.

  39. Jane Trippett-Jones says:

    Thanks Tara and Jan

    It worked well; my 22 year old daughter is a now a home made convert! (In fact she’s just made her first apple and blackberry jelly)

  40. fish man daz says:

    can salted runner beans be used to make chutney?

  41. Richard M says:

    Can you tell me how much chutney this recipe makes when bottled. I am looking to use this recipe for a produce show entry, and I need to make just 1Lb so need to reduce the recipe down
    Thanks

  42. Val says:

    It isn’t my recipe but I would think quarter of the ingredients would be enough for 1 lb.

  43. Richard M says:

    Thanks Val I look forward to the result
    Richard M

  44. Donna-lee Rose Franklin says:

    I have just made this recipe I added a small price of grated ginger and a chopped chilli absolutely delicious !!!

  45. helen says:

    Just made it taste great hot waiting for it to cool down. Made some last year and we really liked it with a bit of cheese on a cracker.

  46. sally says:

    Would love to try this recipe, but could I use a different vinegar, as my daughter can’t have malt? Which would you recommend?

  47. Val says:

    White wine vinegar.

  48. Lisagem says:

    Hi I’ve just come up on this site, because I was looking for a runner bean
    Chutney found yours, well I’ve made it to the letter but seams very runny!!
    Taste’s very sweet? Waiting for it to cool x what have I done wrong

  49. Val says:

    Try tipping it back out into the pan, bring back to the boil and add a little more cornflour. Don’t forget to re-sterilise the jars before you put it back. I think you’ll find the sweetness will die down once it has been left to mature for several weeks.

  50. Helen says:

    Fantastic recipe. Tastes gorgeous. Also just won 1st with it in local gardening show judged by W.I. They loved it. Will be making more with glut of runner beans.

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